vilify somebody/something (as something)|vilify somebody/something (for something/for doing something)(formal)to say or write unpleasant things about somebody/something so that other people will have a low opinion of themsynonymmalign,revileWord Originlate Middle English (in the sense

‘lower in value’

): from late Latinvilificare, from Latinvilis

‘of low value’

.Extra examplesA campaign was mounted to vilify the leaders of the organization.She has been vilified and misunderstood by her community.They were vilified by the press as ‘international terrorists’.